There are fantastic therapies and school programs for children with disabilities, but we can’t overlook the power of interacting with peers of all abilities. That’s what Friendship Circle is all about: Building friendships and fun!
The Friendship Circle of VA (FCVA) is an international, non-profit organization that focuses on building friendships between individuals with disabilities and teen (ages 12 and up) volunteers. It is free for all participants and is open to individuals with any kind of disability at any age and people from all religious backgrounds.
FCVA is looking for volunteers for the Friends@Home program. Friends@Home pairs teen volunteers with an individual with disabilities in their own home for 1-hour weekly visits. These visits are all about having fun and cultivating friendships for these children in their own comfortable environment.
But children with disabilities aren’t the only ones who learn and grow (while having a great time). The teen volunteers benefit from Friends@Home in the following ways:
- Learn the important value of giving
- Change our society as they learn about other people and accept others who are different from themselves
- Develop skills to become leaders in our community
- Obtain community service hours
- and of course give children with disabilities the gift of real friendship and fun!
To sign up or learn more about FCVA, go to www.FriendshipCircleVA.org
